1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of floatation devices or buoyancy compensators, and more specifically, to a snorkeling vest of improved comfort and utility which may be advantageously used by swimmers for selectively adjusting their buoyancy, particularly while snorkeling.
2. Prior Art
The sport of snorkeling is becoming ever more popular as more and more people realize the beauty of submerged animal and plant life one may observe with the aid of a face mask and a snorkeling tube. While snorkeling may be accomplished with or without the benefit of buoyancy compensating devices, it is usually less tiring and thus more enjoyable to carry out snorkeling with the aid of a buoyancy compensating device. An inflatable vest provides selectable buoyancy and relieves the swimmer of the need to concentrate on staying afloat, so that his or her snorkel tube extends above the surface of the water. Buoyancy compensating devices are well known in the swimming and diving art, as well as for use as safety devices, such as life jackets. Unfortunately, buoyancy compensating devices used for scuba diving and as safety devices, such as in life jackets, tend to be overly complex or quite bulky and thus not entirely suited to be worn for snorkeling which requires a significant amount of freedom of movement, particularly of the arms and chest. Furthermore, bulky buoyancy compensating devices, because of their weight and interference with the freedom of movement, typically are removed by the snorkeler when he or she exits the water even temporarily, because of the inherent incumberence of such bulky and heavy compensating devices. Even those buoyancy compensation devices which are more preferably configured for snorkeling activity, tend to be bulky and thus relatively uncomfortable in use because of the effect that an inflated bladder has on the fit of the buoyancy device on the user. The most relevant prior U.S. patents known to the applicant and that are relevant to the invention described herein include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,947 to Kiefer discloses an inflatable, wearable flotation device which utilizes both front and back chambers containing a buoyant material, such as PVC foam, as well as a deflatable bladder located in two front panels. When the bladder is inflated, restraining devices are automatically opened by the force exerted by the expanding bladder. These restraining devices normally hold certain pleats in a closed configuration so that the pleats are held out of the way of the wearer during normal use. The restraining devices can be snaps or Velcro. The bladder can be inflated by oral inflation or by a CO.sub.2 cartridge. In one embodiment of the invention disclosed therein, the bladder can be located outside the front chambers of the vest and held directly to the vest by restraining devices. However, there does not appear to be an actual physical separation of the bladder from the vest, except to the extent needed to inflate the bladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,882 to Everett relates to a hybrid personal flotation device having a mass of buoyant material, as well as an inflatable buoyancy chamber having an interior zone and a peripheral zone. A portion of the interior zone is cooperatively connected to the chest portion. The peripheral zone is unattached to the chest portion, whereby the peripheral zone may be folded and when the buoyancy chamber is folded, the buoyancy chamber covers a smaller area than when it is unfolded. A covering panel has outer edges releasably connected to the chest portion, whereby when the buoyancy chamber is uninflated, the outer edge of the covering panel is secured to the chest portion and the buoyancy chamber is folded and hidden from view by the covering panel. When the buoyancy chamber is inflated, the outer edges of the covering panel are released and the buoyancy chamber expands, unfolds and is visible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,914 to Faulconer et al discloses a conformable buoyancy compensator having an outer textile material which encloses a bladder. The bladder provides a series of gussets in the front and back which divide the bladder into a pair of channels or airbags. The channels and gussets hold the back and front portions of the buoyancy compensator into snug relationship on the user's chest to prevent unwarranted expansion and extension of the buoyancy compensator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,316 to Ratliff discloses a floatation vest which may be integrated with a scuba tank and backpack and which uses a parachute-style harness configured to assure that a user will float on the water surface in a stable head-up and out-of-the-water position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,589 to Faulconer et al discloses a buoyancy compensator and backpack for divers which is relevant to the present invention because it provides an independent suspension described as a neoprene spider incorporating two respective shoulder resting areas and two respective belt or waiststrap areas.
Unfortunately, all of the aforementioned prior art, as well as all other prior art known to the applicant relevant to buoyancy compensating devices, comprises a structure which is too complex and a configuration which is too cumbersome to best serve the needs of a snorkeler for buoyancy control, while at the same time, providing a comfortable garment configuration that can be worn advantageously both in and out of the water.